Education, Public and Local History Program Grants are available in two different amounts to support projects in the categories of Public Programs, Research and Writing, and Educational Programs. The grants are administered on a competitive basis, and the awards are made annually based on a peer review process.

Availability of Funds. Grant awards are subject to the annual availability of funds from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Funding is based on the state fiscal year, July through June.

Who May Apply. The following are the types of organizations that are eligible to apply:

• CLG's (Certified Local Governments)
• Colleges and universities
• Community groups
• Heritage organizations
• Historical societies
• Libraries (public and private)
• Local governments
• Museums
• Schools and school districts
• Other historical and educational organizations
• Museums and historic sites that are owned by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and operated by independent nonprofit organizations
• Multipurpose Organizations. Individual subunits (e.g. Department of History) within multipurpose government or tax- exempt organizations (e.g. University of Pittsburgh) may apply for grants if they function as a discrete unit within the parent organization. A subunit that is part of a larger organization will be deemed eligible if:
  • The unit has administrative autonomy for its operations;
  • The unit has a fully segregated and itemized operating budget within that of the parent organization; and
  • The unit is able to separately and distinctly fulfill all eligibility and application requirements as defined in these guidelines.

More than one qualified subunit within a multipurpose organization may apply for funding during the same grant cycle.

Who May Not Apply. Organizations and others that are not eligible to apply include:

• Museums and historic sites operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission;
• Associate groups at museums and historic sites operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission except as a partner in a collaborative grant with a nonaffiliated organization;
• Museums and historic sites operated by state or federal government agencies except through an associate or management group;
• State government;
• Federal government; and
• Individuals. (Institutions may apply for research projects on behalf of individuals.)
  

Eligibility Requirements. To apply for Education, Public and Local History Program Grants, an organization must meet the following requirements:

• Must be located in Pennsylvania;
• Must have tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service or be an entity of local government;
• Must have been incorporated and in existence for at least two years prior to the submission of the grant application (except for those nonprofit organizations established specifically for the purpose of planning and implementing activities celebrating some aspect of Pennsylvania history, life or culture); and
• Must be registered with the Pennsylvania Department of State: Bureau of Charitable Organizations, as required. Information may be obtained by writing Bureau of Charitable Organizations, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of State, P.O. Box 8723, Harrisburg, PA 17105 or by calling 1-800-732-0999 or see: Pennsylvania Department of State: Bureau of Charitable Organizations .
  

Levels of Funding. There are two levels of funding for Education, Public and Local History Program Grants:

• Grants in amounts up to and including $5,000 require no matching funds.
• Grants in amounts of $5,001 and up to and including $15,000 require 50/50 matching funds.

All eligible organizations have the option to apply for one or the other level of funding. The $5,000 grant (with no matching requirement) was especially designed to provide competitive funding opportunities for smaller organizations whose operating budgets generally do not exceed $100,000.

Applicants are especially encouraged to use the $5,000 grant to address the recommendations of a Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Technical Assistance Grant.

General Conditions. There are several general conditions for Education, Public and Local History Program Grants:

• Grants in excess of $5,001 are awarded on a 50/50 matching basis. In-kind contributions may be used to satisfy the matching requirement; however, cash matches of new dollars are strongly encouraged and will be considered in the evaluation process.
• Grant awards will not exceed $15,000.
• All projects must relate directly to some aspect of Pennsylvania history and demonstrate substantial involvement with current scholarship.
• Work cannot begin until the successful applicant has received a fully executed Grant Agreement.
  

Categories of Support. The following categories are broadly defined and include examples of the kinds of projects that may be considered for funding. The examples are by no means a complete list of eligible projects. Applicants are encouraged to discuss their projects and ideas with the appropriate grant manager. Please refer to the section on " PHMC Grants Staff. "

Public Programs. Funding may be requested for the research, development and execution of public programs that present some aspect of Pennsylvania life, history or culture. Examples of projects include:

• Interpretive Exhibits and Signs;
• Special Programs and Commemorative Events;
• Marker Dedications and National Register Celebrations;
• Walking and driving tours;
• Publications;

Research and Writing. Funding may be requested to support original research and writing on some aspect of Pennsylvania life, history and culture leading to publications, public programs or exhibits. Examples of projects include:

• Research and Writing;
• Oral and Documentary Histories;

Educational Programs. Funding may be requested for the development or implementation of school-related projects dealing with some aspect of Pennsylvania life, history and culture which focuses on community resources for learning and which encourages collaboration between teachers and history organizations and museums. Examples of projects include:

• Curriculum projects and teachers' guides;
• Resource materials, traveling trunks and distance learning units;
• Internships; and
• Site visits, student research projects and history camps.
  

Ineligible Activities. Education, Public and Local History Grants may not be used to fund the following:

• Endowments;
• General operating support;
• Overhead or indirect costs for operation of organization;
• Acquisition of objects for collections;
• Capital improvement projects;
• Existing part-time or full-time staff positions (this includes hiring part-time staff during nonworking hours);
• Projects that have been initiated prior to the date of the award;
• Projects that serve a religious purpose or promote religious dogma;
• Forums, conferences, symposia, lectures, oral histories and exhibitions not available to the public or taking place outside of Pennsylvania;
• Prizes and awards;
• Expenses for entertainment; and
• Lobbying-related expenses;
  

Grant Period and Implementation Timetable. The Application Submission Deadline for FY2008-2009 is December 1, 2007. Application submission deadlines in future years may be obtained by visiting the PHMC Grants Website at http://www.artsnet.org/phmc.

The following timetable for processing grant applications and implementing projects is provided for your information and as a planning guide. Remember, grant awards are subject to the availability of funds from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. No commitments or announcements can be made until after July 1, 2008 or such time as the Commonwealth Budget is approved by the General Assembly and signed by the Governor.

Maximum Number of Awards
Eligible applicants may apply for and may receive under the Pennsylvania History and Museum Grant Program one Local History Grant, one type of General Operating Support Grant and a Technical Assistance Grant . The applicant may also serve as the lead partner of a collaborative grant.

Applicants meeting the relevant eligibility requirements may apply for and may receive one grant under the Certified Local Government Grant Program and one grant under the Keystone Historic Preservation Grant Program.

Please take the time to read the material on this website to determine if you are eligible to receive other grants from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

Applications
Applicants for Local History Grants are required to use the web-based electronic grant application process. Exceptions are generally only made for those applicants who do not have access to the necessary equipment. Exceptions must be discussed in advance with the appropriate grants manager. (See the section entitled " PHMC Grants Staff " for names, telephone numbers and email addresses.)

The electronic grant application process has been in use for several years now and provides a mechanism for you to complete your grant application on-line. It is a relatively simple process that allows you to submit your application as late as midnight of the appointed deadline date. Commission staff can also review your application while in progress and are available to assist you and answer questions.

To download a PDF of the Local History Grants Application Click Here.